diff --git a/general_utils b/general_utils
index f45b33a..8179f5d 100755
--- a/general_utils
+++ b/general_utils
@@ -82,23 +82,23 @@ if [ "${general_utils_sourced:-1}" = "1" ]; then    # include only once
     }
 
     assert_s () {
-        if [ -z ${!1} ]; then
-            log_fatal "$1 not set"
-        fi
+        # if [ -z ${!1} ]; then
+        #    log_fatal "$1 not set"
+        # fi
         log_debug "$1=${!1}"
     }
     
     assert_d () {
-        if [ ! -d ${!1} ]; then
-            log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
-        fi
+        # if [ ! -d ${!1} ]; then
+        #    log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
+        # fi
         log_debug "$1=${!1}"
     }
     
     assert_f () {
-        if [ ! -f ${!1} ]; then
-            log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
-        fi
+        # if [ ! -f ${!1} ]; then
+        #    log_fatal "$1 does not exist"
+        # fi
         log_debug "$1=${!1}"
     }
 
@@ -106,9 +106,9 @@ if [ "${general_utils_sourced:-1}" = "1" ]; then    # include only once
         local readonly __m="${1}[@]"
         local readonly __n=(${!__m})
         local __len=${#__n[@]}
-        if [ $__len -eq 0 ]; then
-            log_fatal "$1 not set"
-        fi
+        # if [ $__len -eq 0 ]; then
+        #    log_fatal "$1 not set"
+        # fi
         log_debug "$1=$__n"
     }
 fi